The invention relates to a variously positionable pivot joint which has a nut and bolt connection, particularly for wheel guide arms in motor vehicles. The bolt extends through two legs of a mounting bracket, at least one of which legs has an oblong hole to accommodate adjustable positioning of the bolt.
Variously positionable pivot joints of the above-mentioned type are, for example, customary in the pivoting of wheel guide arms for motor vehicles. They make it possible, starting from a central position aimed at in series production assembly, to fix eccentric positions shifted to either side. One object in doing so is to make it possible for variations in camber and castor resulting from minor collisions, such as, for example, violent contact with a curb to be corrected to such an extent that the tolerance range for castor and camber permissible for series production purposes and for safe operating behavior, is restored. Such corrections would otherwise necessitate bodywork intervention, for example, realignment of the vehicle body, which is necessary after more serious accidents but for such minor collisions would entail unacceptable expense.
The adjustability in question necessitates for series production assembly at least centering on the bolt head side, for example, by means of eccentric discs or the like, but it is preferable for such centering to be provided on both the bolt head and the threaded end nut side.
Adjustment devices known for this purpose already require for series production assembly a setting with corresponding adjustment within the tolerance range. Assembly errors cannot be ruled out by this means. Moreover, the cost for such pivot joints is relatively high.
An object on which the invention is based is to provide a variously positionable joint which offers simplified adjustability for camber and castor and in addition reduces the risk of error in series production assembly.
This object is achieved according to preferred embodiments of the invention by providing that the oblong hole guide has snugs which extend from ends of the oblong hole toward one another, the backs of the snugs forming a guide corresponding to a central position of the bolt, engageable over one of the snugs to accommodate an end eccentric positioning of the bolt, and wherein a stop engaging in the oblong hole is provided for supporting the bolt at a side opposite the snug when in the end eccentric position.
The oblong hole guide according to the invention makes it possible, when it is arranged in the bracket leg on the nut side of the mounting bracket, to achieve centering to a central position on the head side within the framework of the invention, for example, by means of a shaped projection which is provided on the head side and engages in the oblong hole. However, it also makes it possible, when it is arranged in both the legs, to achieve by means of the oblong hole guide the centering of the bolt on the head side and on the nut side.
Deviations from the central position, that is to say, a displacement of the bolt to one or the other of its end positions, are possible with the configuration of the oblong hole guide according to the invention by providing the bolt with a corresponding notch in relation to the respective oblong hole provided with the centering snugs. If the bolt is inserted in such a manner that the notch and the groove coincide, the bolt is to be displaced laterally inside the oblong hole until the back of the snug is supported in the bottom of the notch, and the respective end position can be fixed in a simple manner by supporting the bolt in the opposite direction by a shaped member engaging in the oblong hole. This shaped member may, for example, be in the form of a shaped projection associated with a shim, for example, a stamped-out part of the shim.
In principle, it is possible within the framework of the invention to use identical shaped bolts for series production assembly and for repair purposes, provided that the shaped bolts are provided with corresponding means preventing them from turning. However, a particularly simple solution consists in that for the serial production assembly use can be made of a conventional bolt without a special head configuration or the like, and in that for repair purposes a Dolt is used which has the corresponding notches and with which shims having a corresponding shaped projection are associated. Since the shaped projection on the shim is on one side only, by turning the shim over and correspondingly inserting the bolt, each of the two end positions can be fixed in a simple manner by using the same shims and the same bolts.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.